Warm puffer jackets designed for Spoorweg Museum staff.
Beekman’s safety sneaker with McDonald’s logo.
Staff styling with a personal twist TEXT: EVA MENGER | PHOTOS: RON STEEMERS
Work uniforms are a funny concept. They are used to create consistency across the workforce, yet a lack of priority means that they are often not in line with the overall brand image. But Dyanne Beekman, well-known Dutch Fashion entrepreneur and owner of the Beekman Group, is here to change that. The Beekman Fashion Group was established in 1996, shortly after Dyanne Beekman first started thriving as a celebrity fashion stylist. Having worked on several successful TV shows, it has always been her core mission to show people that everyone can look good for a reasonable price. Whether it is styling politicians or teenagers, boosting people’s confidence by helping them lift their appearance is always her main goal. The same goes for her staff styling efforts. With Beekman Staff Styling, Dyanne has intensively spent the last few years designing collections for huge companies including McDonald’s, Spoorweg Museum and Roompot Holiday Park. Beekman: “It all started when McDonald’s asked me for advice in 2010. After thorough brand research to abstract the 12 | Issue 63 | March 2019
brand identity, I developed a clear, visualised vision. Even then I knew it was important to approach staff styling from an unconventional angle.”
Comfort as priority First and foremost, Beekman looks at what she thinks employees would like to wear. “Before I start thinking about a collection, I try to create a support base and collect feedback from all layers of the organisation. Of course, this leads to contrasting visions, but it’s my job to make sure that everybody’s happy in what they wear,” Beekman tells us. It is for this same reason that all her collections have a strong focus on fit. Not only should a uniform be comfortable and allow a person to move freely; it also needs to make people feel confident enough to really show themselves in the workplace. And making sure that designs are suitable for all body types is a huge part of that. Beekman: “A pitfall for many brands is that they tend to completely change course every couple of years. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a fresh look, but I don’t think radical change has to be the answer. That’s why I prefer to make minor changes in the course of time –
though that is not to say that it can’t have a major impact on appearances!” That said, Beekman’s first collection for McDonald’s (2011) did include some surprising elements. “The board of McDyanne Beekman.